Supino sees danger in social media instead of hoped-for potential
At the Epiphany Conference of the Swiss Media Publishers Association (VSM), Pietro Supino, the association’s president, compared the importance of social media for media companies to the Arab Spring.
In his address to the meeting, which was broadcast live and in abbreviated form, Supino explained that not much remained of the former hope. The potential of social media had not been sustainably exploited. Instead, he said, they had become a danger to democratic societies.
By their very nature, social media undermine overall social discourse, Supino said. "Even worse, it is not uncommon for them to be misused for active manipulation." The fact that this danger was not addressed in the draft law on electronic media, he said, was "the most incomprehensible thing about the overall failed project."
Free riders disregard standards
As free riders and dominant players in the digital advertising market, social media also threaten the business model of media companies that invest in serious journalism, said Supino, who chairs the TX Group. But because they disregarded standards, he said, they also opened up opportunities for those who "follow the rules of the trade" - "which I believe is the only chance we have as publishers."
He added that it was also important to promote media competence, strengthen the infrastructure and help people to help themselves. These measures are better and more sustainable "than paying subsidies to media companies and thus inevitably endangering the independence of the media system.
Supino concluded his speech by announcing that a successor had been found for Andreas Häuptli. Stefan Wabel will succeed him as VSM Managing Director (Werbewoche.ch reported). (SDA/swi)
